Improved eailway-switch



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.Letters Patent No, 72,185., dated .December 17, 1867. l

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TO ALL WHOMAIT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, BAnTnoLoMEw CLIFFORD GALvIN, of the city ot New York, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Mode of Switching Locomotive Railway-CarsA in depots and at stations; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description ofthe construction ofthe s ame and its operation, reference being had to the annexed drawings, respectively, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention.

Figure 2 is aside view of a self-connecting rail-end joint used in my invention.

Figure 3 is a sectionalview of the female end ofrsaid joint.

Figure 4 is a sectional view ofthe male end'of said joint. v

Figure 5 is a plan view of my invention in a permanent and portable form, combined, and on the same principle as iig. 1.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of detail letter X in fig'. 5. The nature of myinvention consistsin providing a mode of connecting numerous parallel locomotive railway-tracks together, wherever required, in depots or 'at stations, for the purpose of switching empty or full Y cars, from one railway-'track to another, across any number of intervening tracks, thereby effecting a saving of time, labor, expense, and the inconvenience of switching whole trains in depots, i-n order to extract therefrom or attach thereto one or more cars required, and whereby horse-labor may be used for switching-purposes in place of lo comotive-engines.

The invention, as shtwn in drawing, g. 1, is constructed as follows, and may be made of iron or wood, or

of both combined:

That part of my invention shown in drawing, fig. 1, letter A, shows elevated and longitudinally-laid sleepers with angular ends, and laid obliquely between the rails of the railWay-tr'acksto be crossed over or connected for the purpose of switching. They are connected with the extremities of the cross-sleepers of the iron tracks at both ends. On these longitudinal sleepersthe elevated track oi' rails, or of' wood and iron combined, is laid permanently for the purpose of this invention, but the ends of such rails or track-way do not connect with the iron tracks at either end, or prevent at any time' the transit of cars thereon, At the four ends of such elevated iron track-way, shown in the drawing, tig. 1, letters B, four iron curves are attached thereto bythe insertion therein of part ofthe solid ends of such curves, and by'a hinge, which works below the depth of a railway-car wheel flange, and enables the curves to be placed onor oli the track `they are intended to connect with, by means of a lateral revolving and perpendicular motion combined in the hinge referred to. These curves are hollow at one end, B, and at that end they enclose the iron rails on which respectively th'ey.are placed for switching-purposes. On their upper side they aiford an inclined plane of ascending railway-trackfrom the top level of the railon which they are placed to the elevated track-Way to which such curves are hinged. The take. olfrom the upper level of the iron rail, obtained by the formation of these curves, forms an inclined plane of ascent, both straight and curved, straight; from the thin end of the curve S, (which extends along the top of the rail it rests on,) for a snicient distance to elevate the flange of a railway-car wheel (ascending such inclined plane) above the level of the'iron rail on which the curve rests, so that the wheel can pass over without its Bange Y touching the rail, and then the inclined plane begins to curve, from the line of the rail passed over, upwards to its straight connection with the level of the elevated rails or track-way, as shown iu drawing, fig. 1, letter D.

That part of' my invention used for switching-purposes, shown in'draw'ing, g. 1, letter E, is made of iron rail, or of wood and iron combined. It is straight, hinged at one end to and partly inserted inthe elevated rails so laid between railway-tracks, as described, and at the other end is so made as to be self-connecting (letter F) with said rails or elevated track. The exact size and shape of the rails to he crossed over are cut out from the bottom of that part of invention, letter E. It thus fits across the rails firmly., connects with the adjacent end of theelevated track-way by the dove-tail and straight-insertion, self-connecting joints, shown at iig. 1, let= ters Fand R, a'ords on its upper side a level trackcontinuous with the rails or track-way at both ends of it, asV shown in drawing, g'. 1, letter E.

That part of my invention in drawing, iig. 1, letter G, shows the hinge` used in invention in connection with the curves, letters B, and the track-crosser, letter E, for the purposes of the invention. Each lap. of the hinge has an extension in its centre, forming part of such lap, and is shaped as a square and round iron bar respectively. These bars extend backward at right angles with the face of the hinge next to them, when the hinge is expanded. Y

Those parts of my invention, respectively lettered B and E, are attached to the elevated rails or track-way by means of the hinge referred to. One of the hinges extensions being square and riveted through the solid end of 'letters B and C, and the other extension, which is round, is riveted through the end ot' the elevated rails or trackvray. On the last-mentioned extension the hinge revolves, and the lateral and upward motions, necessary for the working ot` letters B and C for the purposes ofthe invention, are thus obtained.

That part of my invention, shown in drawing, fig. 1,y letter F, as also in detail drawings thereof, figs. 2, 3, and f1, as a straight-insertion self-connecting rail and joint, is constructed by cutting that end of that part of invention lettered F, so that the lower half or three-fourths of the centre ofthe ends of the traok-crosser, letter E, shall project at the joint. I`; and that part of the rail er elevated track connected with letter E at thejoint F, shall be somade or cut as' to receive" in its ends the projecting end of letter E, and thereby-form a selfconnecting rail and joint, as shown in detail drawings thereof, gs. 2, 3, and 4, for the purposes of my invention, as shown in tig. 1 aforesaid` l Here ends the description of invention as shown in Sheet No. l1, igs. 1, 2, 3v, and 4.

My invention, as shown in drawing, tig. 5, is constructed as follows: That partof my invention, shown in drawing, iig. 5, letter A, shows the rails laid obliquely between and on the same, level with the iron rails, between` i which switching is required, but without the ends of such rails, so-obliquely laid, forming of themselves any connection with the rails between which they extend.

Those partsot` my invention, shown in fig. 5, letters i3, C, D, E, F, and G, are constructed on the same principle as those parts in g. 1, letters B andE, and afford, when in-opcration for the purpose of my invention, a portable railway-track on the top of their respective lengths. The track so afforded forms an inclined plane of ascent from the two ends of each to the centre of each. Such inclined plane is curved in the centre of B, C, F, and G, and straight throughout in D and E.

Those parts of my invention, lettered B, C, D, E, F, and G, arehollow underneath for some distance from the two ends of each part respectively, to enable them to be fitted on the rails, letter A, laid obliquely, and on the iron line o f rail they are used to connect with letter M. When those parts of my invention, letters-13,1), D, E, F, and `G, are placed on the iron track, as shown in drawing, iig. 5, they respectively enclose, within their two ends and sides partly, the iron line of rail on which they rest, or are placed, for the purpose of switching,

and railway-cars are then passed over by their means from track to track, across any number of tracks, between which ,the invention is constructed.

" `That part of my invention, letter I", shows the curve used for switching wheren broad und narrow-gauge rail is to be passed over or connected.

That part of my invention, iig. 5, letter H, showsa double curve for the purpose of switching to the right or left of the rail on which the curve is placed, in connection with rails laid obliquely to the right or left of anytrack. It `affords a double take-ott` from the ruil it rests on by its two inclined planes, both straight and curved, and constructed on the same principle as letter B in iig. 1.

That part of myinvcntion, fig.AV 5, letter D, as also in fig. 6,1lctter X, nreidentical, and by letter X appears the hollows cut out of letter D, so as to fit it over the rails to be crossed by that part of my invention, aspalso shown in drawing, iig. 1, letter Y, both being constructed on the same principle.

Here ends the description of my invention as shown in Sheet No. 2, figs. 5 and 6. v

Having described the nature and construction of my invention, what I claim as such, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, s as follows: 1 l i 1. In railroad-switches, as shown in Sheet No. 1, g. 1, I claim the construction and arrangement ofvxed and movable rails with curvedentrernities, the movable rails and extremities being hinged to the fixed rals,`and the movable rails locking therein by the straightinsertion self-connecting rail and joint shown in figs. 2, 3, and 4,

and by the dove-tailjoint in the ends of such rails fixed andmovable, all substantially as described for the purpose set forth.

2. In railroad-switches, as shown in Sheet No. 2, iig. 5, I claimthe construction and arrangement of fixed y rails connected by curved extremities, Aand straight track-crossers made with hollow ends, all substantially as described for the purpose set forth.

BARTHW CLIFFORD GALVIN.

Witnesses:

THOMAS STEM, Jo. C. CLAYTON. 

